Easily the most useful aspect of the Thunderbolt connection has been the creation of single-cable docks, and OWC's just-announced Thunderbolt 2 Dock is really upping the ante on the docking game. Utilizing the blazing-fast 20Gbps interface, the OWC Thunderbolt 2 Dock sports a plethora of additional connection options, certainly far more than other offerings, all through a single cable to your Mac.
Of course, this is most useful for users of a MacBook, which already has but a few ports and is meant to be portable, so the fewer cables to plug in, the better. The OWC Thunderbolt 2 Dock aims to make that as simple as possible. Here's a run-down of what holes you'll find in its body:
- 2x Thunderbolt 2 (one will be dedicated to the cable running back to your computer)
- 5x USB 3.0 (yes, 5; two are side-mounted with high amperages for easy access and fast charging)
- 1x FireWire 800 (FireWire is back!)
- 1x HDMI
- 1x Gigabit Ethernet
- 1x headphone
- 1x microphone
This is all packaged into a blocky box with an aluminum ring around the outside that matches the finish of an Apple product and topped by glossy black plastic. What's truly impressive is the price — OWC is offering their Thunderbolt 2 Dock for $249. Belkin's Thunderbolt 2 dock offers less connectivity for $50 more, as do a handful of others with similar prices and specs.
But there is one thing the OWC Thunderbolt 2 Dock is missing: a date. It's "coming soon!" we're promised, and we'll be eager to check it out when it finally arrives.
Source: OWC
